Hi! I just want to say that I am really really sorry for the long time there was since the last update. With school and everything I rarely have time to write, and on top of that I have trouble organizing my ideas for both stories I've started. Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy this new chapter!

''Woo! You pretty auntie Aria!'' said the little Lily-Ann as she entered her aunt's bedroom in which Aria was getting ready for her date with Ezra.

Aria smiled at the child and bent over to look at her closely, tucking her hair behind her ears, ''Thank you sweetie,'' she said before adding, ''And you are the prettiest girl I have ever seen.''

At her words Lily giggled and started pivoting on herself, showing Aria how her dress was floating when she turned.

''Look, my dress is flying!'' she said happily.

''Yes it is!'' laughed Aria

''Tonight I'm going to show Clara how my dress can fly! We could play and be princesses!'' exclaimed Lily, who was really excited about the idea of spending the night at her friend's while Aria was going out with Ezra.

''That's a good idea sweetie, I bet you two will have lots of fun!'' said Aria.

''When are we leaving?'' Lily asked rapidly.

''In a few minutes sweet heart, I just have to finish getting ready,'' smiled Aria.

''What is the name of your new friend auntie Aria? You know my friend Clara, but I don't know the name of your new friend,'' said Lily with curiosity.

''His name is Ezra,'' answered Aria simply.

''It's a boy!'' laughed Lily.

''Yeah, why is it so funny?'' asked Aria, amused by Lily's cute reaction.

''Is it your boyfriend?'' replied Lily laughing.

''No he isn't,'' replied Aria. She was awaiting everything but that question coming from a child.

Lily giggled once again, ''Boys are yucky!'' she said.

Aria laughed at her words: ''When you'll get older Lily, you'll see that not all the boys are yucky,'' she smiled, '' Now come on! Go grab your coat and scarf, we're leaving!''

''Yeah!'' cried Lily as she ran downstairs.

''So tonight is the night?'' said Spencer playfully as Aria was putting back her coat after making sure that Lily had everything she needed to spend the night at her friend's.

''It's no big deal, it's just a friendly diner between co-workers,'' said Aria, lying to herself as much as she was lying to Spencer.

''Yeah, right!'' replied Spencer, clearly not convinced.

''Seriously,'' said Aria, ''Do you know if Ezra has a girlfriend? Because I was under the impression that he does,'' she added nervously.

''I know that he had someone last year and it was pretty serious, but they broke it off during the spring,'' Spencer stopped and looked as if she wanted to add something, she finally did ''Apparently, his girlfriend had been cheating on him with one of his friends. But you know, it's only rumours . I think it comes form the secretary who's one of Ezra's girlfriend cousins''

''Oh,'' simply said Aria. Poor Ezra, she had never been cheated on, but it was always something that she feared. She could only imagine how Ezra must have felt when he found out, if it was true of course.

''But don't worry Aria! I know that Ezra put all this behind him. I remember talking to him before he broke things off with Maggie and he was telling me that his relationship was going nowhere for awhile and that he didn't know what to do. Maggie's cheating was just the reason he needed to put a stop to all of it.'' said Spencer.

''Maggie?'' asked Aria nervously.

''Yeah, it's the name of his ex-girlfriend,'' replied Spencer.

''Oh Spencer! That girl called like three times one time when I was having lunch with Ezra. That's why I thought that he might have girlfriend… Maybe they are trying to make things right between the two of them… Maybe I shouldn't go… I'm just going to waste my time,'' said Aria, starting to ramble.

''Aria! Stop! I know Ezra and he really isn't the kind of man that ask a woman out if he isn't interested. And he also wouldn't play with you or Maggie. I promise you. Now stop worrying and go have fun! How long has it been since the last time you went out without Lily except for work?'' Spencer asked seriously.

''I never did ever since I obtained her guard,'' answered Aria softly.

''Oh Aria! This is exactly why you need to go out tonight and enjoy it! I promise you that you won't regret it, Ezra really is a great guy!'' said Spencer in an attempt to convince Aria to go to her date without worries.

''You're right Spencer,'' sighed Aria, ''I need to start living again! I can't hide in my yellow house with Lily forever!'' she said giving herself the little push she needed.

''Exactly! Now go! Don't stay here otherwise you'll find the way to change your mind! Besides, you don't want to be late don't you?'' said Spencer with a smile.

''Thank you Spencer, for everything,'' said Aria before opening the door and leaving for what she hoped would be a night she wouldn't regret.

Her date with Ezra had been going well. He had invited her in one of Rosewood's finest restaurant that she absolutely loved. It was cozy and warm, with candles illuminating the room and a pianist playing soft jazz music. She found that the conversation between Ezra and her flew easily. At first they had shared small talk about students at school and the principal's project of organizing a field trip to a theatre in Philadelphia, but after the main course arrived, they started sharing more personal information and Aria liked the idea of getting to know Ezra better.

''Wow, it must have been hard,'' said Ezra after Aria confessed to him that her father and her had almost stopped talking ever since she had told her mom about his cheating.

Aria started to answer, telling Ezra that the hardest was to choose between lying to her mom or protecting her father, but was interrupted by the ringing of Ezra's phone.

''I'm so sorry Aria! I thought I had turned it off!'' said Ezra as he reached it in his coat pocket.

He looked at the caller ID and sighed.

''Is there a problem?'' asked Aria worried at Ezra's reaction.

''No… yes…I don't know'' finally said Ezra rubbing his head in frustration before rejecting the call. Aria got a glimpse of the caller: Maggie.

''Do you want to talk about it?'' asked Aria, feeling both curious and nervous about the fact that Ezra's ex-girlfriend was once again calling him while he was spending time with her.

''I don't want to disturb you with my problems Aria,'' said Ezra with a sad smile.

''I don't want to force, but just so you know, you wouldn't be disturbing me, I'd be glad to help if I could. And after all, you've already listened to my problems when I told you about my brother,'' said Aria hoping that Ezra wouldn't find her too much curious.

''Thank you Aria…'' was all he said and Aria thought that it was all she was going to get from him. He wasn't ready to talk and she was okay with that, or that's what she was trying to convince herself.

''Maggie is my ex-girlfriend,'' Ezra finally said. ''We broke up in May when I found out that she had been cheating on me with my best friend. At christmas I was about to propose to her, but she started to act strange and I didn't like it. In march I didn't know what to do. The Maggie I was with wasn't the one I had met and loved. When I found out about her cheating, it only gave me a reason to finally accept that our relationship was over…'' Ezra trailed off.

''So she's calling you because she wants to make things right between you two?'' suspected Aria with regret.

''No… In June she found out that she was pregnant. She keeps calling me because she wants me to get involved in my baby's life. The thing is that I don't even know if it's mine! She refuses to pass a paternity test, assuring me that it's mine… How can I trust her? I don't want to start loving a baby and later discover that I'm not even his father… I'm afraid that she is only trying to get me back since my friend left her… But then what if it's really my baby? I would forever feel guilty if I wasn't there for him or her,'' Ezra stopped talking and sighed, looking at the table in defeat.

''Oh Ezra,'' said Aria, placing a comforting hand on his forearm, ''I'm really sorry… I can't pretend to know what you're going through, but I want you to know that you can count on me if you need help for anything,'' she said.

''Thank you,'' replied Ezra softly.

''I know that it might not be of my business, but if I can give you an advice, it's to fight for a paternity test. A kid is a huge responsibility, trust me, you won't be able to commit fully or to take your distance as long as you don't know if that child is yours or not,'' she said.

''I know…''sighed Ezra, '' It's just that I'm trying to put Maggie behind me, but she's always there in my mind. I hate fighting with her for that stupid test. I don't know why she can't agree! It would be all so simpler!'' exclaimed Ezra.

''She's probably scared that if the kid isn't yours she'll have to raise him alone, you mentioned that your friend was gone…'' suggested Aria.

''It's probably that, but it's not fair to me, or to that poor unborn kid! He isn't born yet and we're already fighting over him! A kid doesn't deserve that!'' said Ezra with exasperation.

''I know,'' replied Aria softly, ''The best you can do for him is to know if you are or not his father. Like you said, it would be unfair to put him in the middle of your fight with Maggie,'' she added.

''You're right, thank you Aria, I'll try to call Maggie tomorrow,'' he said finally smiling for real, ''Now, can we speak about something else? I don't Maggie to ruin our night together!''

''Of course!''

''I'm sorry that tonight didn't go quite according to my plans,'' said Ezra with a playful smile as they approached Aria's car.

Even though they had stopped talking about Maggie at Ezra's request, it had tainted the night and they were never able to go back to the mood there was at the beginning of the night.

''And what were your plans exactly?'' asked Aria with a smile.

''First I intended to do this,'' said Ezra as he took Aria's small hand in his.

Aria's breath caught in her throat at the contact and she had trouble replying to Ezra without sounding too nervous.

''And what d-did you plan to do next?'' she asked in a whisper.

''This,'' said Ezra as he stopped walking and turned towards Aria. He caressed one of her cheek with the hand that wasn't holding hers and slowly closed the space between them. When their lips were almost touching he added in a whisper:

''But only if you agree,''

Aria simply nodded slowly, before Ezra closed the gap between them. Their first kiss. It was sweet, soft and perfect.